The former Royal Palace, a mixture of French and Lao architecture, is now a museum preserving the possessions of the monarchy. Above the entrance is a three-headed elephant sheltered by the sacred white parasol, the symbol of the Lao monarchy. The most impressive room is the Throne Hall, a dazzling interior of mosaics and mirrors, with displays of royal regalia including glittering swords and the king's own elephant saddle. The museum's most prized possession, the Pha Bang, a golden Buddha image, is housed in a small barred room that was the king's personal shrine. It is the most sacred image in the country, believed to have been crafted in the heavens, and containing miraculous powers of protection over the country.
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Wat Xieng Thong (Golden City Temple)
The most enchanting monastery in the country is the magnificent Golden City Temple at the tip of the peninsula. The graceful, sweeping tiled roof of the main temple is its most impressive feature and the walls are decorated with stencilled gold designs depicting many different traditional tales and, at the rear, a splendid coloured glass mosaic illustrating the 'tree of life'. In the peaceful atmosphere of the compound garden are several shelters, housing rare Buddha images and the gilded royal funerary carriage.
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